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# Overheard At Digital Music Forum West In Los Angeles
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/overheard-at-digital-music-forum-west-in-los-angeles/
- Published: 2012-10-05T13:07:05.000Z
- Updated: 2012-10-05T13:07:05.000Z
- Description: (UPDATED) The Digital Music Forum West conference concluded yesterday from the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, offering two days worth of discussions revolving around how digital media and technology continue to. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/10/overheard-at-digital-music-foru
- Author: admin
- Tags: Conventions & Awards, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:49

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(UPDATED) The [Digital Music Forum West](http://digitalmusicforum.com/west/?ref=hypebot.com) conference concluded yesterday  
from the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, offering two days worth of discussions  
revolving around **how digital media and technology continue to impact the music**  
**business**. The event brought together folks from Topspin, Chirpify, Tumblr, Atom  
Factory, StageIt, ThrillCall, BMI, Warner Bros Records, Clear Channel, Red Light  
Management, Universal Music Group, BandPage and many more.

  
DMFW kicks off a series of music tech events set to occur  
on the West Coast including the [SF MusicTech Summit](https://www.hypebot.com/sf-musictech-summit-next-week-interview-with-coordinator-brian-zisk/) on October 9th  
and [NARM’s Music Startup Academy](http://www.narm.com/events/music-startup-academy/10-10-12-san-francisco/?ref=hypebot.com) on October 10th.

### **Here are some of the key**  
**quotes and discussion topics:**

“The **majority of revenue in the United States is digital**,  
however this isn't the case internationally,” said Amanda Marks, Global Head of  
Digital Accounts, Universal Music Group in an interview segment with Topspin’s  
Ian Rogers.

**Image-Based Content:**

[Cinemagram](http://cinemagr.am/?ref=hypebot.com) (the iPhone app designed to create hybrid images of  
photo and video) was quicker to achieve one million users than Instagram –  
indicating that **image-based content will continue to adopt quickly** and evolve  
just the same.

**Chuck D on Today's Music Business:**

When Chuck D was asked who his top 10 favorite artists were,  
he replied: "What's my top 10? That's an analog question. What do you  
mean? I got 10k songs on my iPod!"

The Public Enemy founder also remarked that those music tech  
companies must be mindful of those creating the art as *their* living by saying, "Making a killing makes it hard for  
those making a living."

**Women in Music:**

"We became who we are by learning and working hard,  
while working with 80% of alpha males over 40,” said Karen Allen, VP Client  
Services, TAG Strategic on the Women in Music Panel

"As the value of music goes down, the value of  
merchandise and endorsements goes up." -Erika Savage, Senior Business  
& Legal Affairs, Interscope Geffen A&M Records

**Passive Listening vs. Active Listening:**

"Slacker listeners want a lean-back music experience  
85% of the time." -Jim Cady, CEO Slacker Radio

**YouTube:**

"Most indie artists and labels have a zero sum knowledge of how to properly harness YouTube. That's money left on the table." -Brandon Martinez, CEO & Co-Founder, INDMUSIC (YouTube content network)  

**The Music Licensing Nightmare:**

"The only benefit of current complex music licensing is  
that it becomes a full employment act." -Zahavah Levine, Director of  
Content Partnerships for Android, Google

**The Rise of Mediocrity?**

"It is so easy now to make music that sounds mediocre.  
It's led to a massive middle class of mediocrity." -Daryl Berg, Vice  
President, Music, Shine America

**EDM:**

“EDM has grown directly proportional to the Internet and  
social media." -Richard Bishop, Head of EDM, Red Light Management

To add to Bishop’s point: "We spend $0 on traditional  
media \[for promotion\]; it's all through digital and social," said John  
Boyle, CFO Insomniac (although he went on to say they *do* spend dollars on billboards).

**Startup Success:**

"The 3 key factors to startup success are the team,  
market / technology differentiation, and timing." -Doug Barry, Managing  
Director, Selby Ventures

**The Future of the Music Business:**

“99% of artist aren't going to be international stars; it's  
hard to create culture that creates emotion at that level." -Jeff Price,  
Founder of Tunecore

Nic Adler, owner of famed venue The Roxy, recognized and  
commended the use of the concert crowdfunding platform [Queremos](https://www.hypebot.com/queremos-crowdfunding-for-live-concerts/) as a way the  
music business is continuing to shift more power into the hands of fans.

"The days of fans paying artists for prerecorded music are  
shifting towards renting somebody else's music collection." -Jeff Price, Founder  
of Tunecore

—

***Hisham Dahud*** *is a Senior Analyst for Hypebot.com. Additionally, he is the head of Business Development for [Fame House](http://famehouse.net/?ref=hypebot.com) and an [independent musician](https://soundcloud.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com). Follow him on Twitter: [@HishamDahud](http://twitter.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com)*